The majority of residential photovoltaic systems in North America are designed for sloping (composite shingle or tile) roofs. However, a significant number of U.S. residential rooftops are flat. In the United States, for example, while most residential roofs are sloped, a significant number of residential rooftops in southern and western states are sloped. Many countries outside of the United States have even higher proportions of flat roofs as compared to sloped roofs than in the United States.
Traditionally, such residential flat roof systems incorporate elaborate pipe frame designs that typically have a large number of parts, and therefore take considerable time to assemble. Current pipe frame designs are also not easily adjustable due to their large number of parts. Thus, the angle of the photovoltaic array with respect to the roof is difficult to change, and it would be desirable to change this feature depending upon the latitude of the installed system such that the array best points towards the sun.
Another problem with traditional flat roof designs is building leaks. Specifically, traditional flat roof installations can lead to roof leaks when attached through the flat roof to the building rafters. Minimizing connection points through the roof is desirable. It is therefore also desirable to have maximum flexibility in determining the exact roof attachment points where the array is to be mounted onto the roof's rafters.